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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. BURT, OF WEST RANDOLPH, VERMONT.

BOX OR TUB FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,344, dated March 15, 1887.

Application filed January 19, 1887. Serial No. 224,796. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMEs H. BURT, a citi-. zen of the United States, residing at West Randolph, in the county of Orange and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and my invention are, first, to construct the fastener out of ordinary wire, and thus avoid the necessity and expense of flattening or otherwise changing the ordinary shape of the wire; second, to so form its central portion or arm that it may be readily driven into place Without compelling the operator to change his position; and, third, to bend the ends or barbs at such an angle with the central arm that when they enter the wood they will so confine the fastener that it will be impossible to remove them without first prying out thelower barb.

lar view showing both ends of the fastener driven into position.

A B is the box or tub fastener, which is made of ordinary wire, bent at an obtuse angle a little above the center, at a. Shortportions of its ends or barbs D and E are bent inward at acute angles to their respective arms at d and e, the former being turned in the direction parallel with the part or arm-B. These ends are suitably pointed or barbed, so that they may be readily driven or forced into those portions of the box or tub which they are de signed to hold together. To adjust the fastener preparatory to its application, the shorter and upper arm, B, is firmly held with the thumb and finger, care being taken to adjust the point of the end D to the side of the box or tub in such aposition that the arm B sh all rest upon the edge or corner of the cover about as far above the bend or angle a as is the length of the end or barb D, (shown in Fig. 1,) so that when the end or barb D is driven into the side of the box or tub as far as the bend or acute angle 01 the edge or corner of the top or cover will enter and rest in the angle a,and the longer or lower arm, A, is brought in contact with the side of the box or tub.

Meanwhile, by reason of the angle a being obtuse, the arm B is enabled to readily move over the top of the cover until the edge of the cover enters the angle a, wheu,without changing his position,the operator can readily drive the end or barb E into the cover, the inward bending of the barb E causing the cover to be brought still more tightly down upon the sides of the receptacle, where it is rigidly held, without the possibility of being sprung out or otherwise accidentally loosened, the only way in which the fastener can be removed Without breaking or tearing the wood being to first draw or pry out one of the ends or barbs, inasmuch as both ends are securely held or clinched by reason of their entering the wood at an acute angle to their respective arms.

It will be seen that the device is especially convenient to use, perfectly reliable, and simple and cheap in construction, as no change has to be made in the shape of the wire, all that is necessary being to cut the piece of ordinary wire the length desired, sharpen each extremity, and then bend the parts in the form described.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-

A metallic fastener the body of which is bent inwardly near its center at an obtuse angle and provided with pointed extremities bent inwardly at an acute angle to their respective arms A and B, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES. H. BURT. 

